Adjunct Appointments/Reappointments

Voted into Policy on November 13, 2023

Appointments: The Chair’s “Request Letter” to the Dean needs to address:

 their anticipated future contributions (mentoring/teaching & research, teaching if applicable) in the department for the requested appointment period.  

The letter for an appointment should also address their past accomplishments.

Reappointments:

The Chair’s “Request Letter” needs to address their departmental contributions in mentoring/teaching & research and relevant achievements since their last appointment action, as well as their anticipated future contributions in the department for the requested reappointment period.

If promotion needs to address why they are moving up in rank. Like they moved up in rank at their home institution and we are reflecting that rank. 

Given that the Academic Personnel Office (APO) expects to see evidence of the following for Adjuncts:

• how the candidate meets the research, professional competence, and service criteria for a (tenure-track) Professor at the requested rank

• in addition to mentoring/advising students (generally the primary reason), how the candidate will contribute to the department's teaching/instructional mission (ex: giving guest lectures/seminars, serving on defense committees, providing research opportunities for undergrads, sponsoring independent studies, assisting with instructional planning/curriculum development, etc.) this informs what we should request from possible adjunct appointees

A. Official Process for Initial Appointment

1. The adjunct faculty candidate shall submit a CV and personal statement to the department regarding why they want to be adjunct faculty at UCSC. The candidate should address the following in their cover letter:

   • How they see their adjunct appointment as being mutually beneficial to the broad department

   • How much time they would like to spend at UCSC, although there is no minimum residency requirement

   • Requests for office space on campus

   • If they are seeking to co-advise graduate students and/or undergraduate students

   • How they plan on contributing to the department's teaching/instructional mission (ex: giving guest lectures/seminars, serving on defense committees, providing research opportunities for students, sponsoring independent studies, assisting with instructional planning/curriculum development, departmental service, etc.)

   • How the candidate meets the research, professional competence, and service criteria for a (tenure-track) Professor at the requested rank

   • If the candidate already has or will be seeking PI status at UC Santa Cruz, how any potential grant funding benefits the department, its students and/or postdocs.

2. Candidate shall give a research talk open to all in the department

3. The faculty should be given at least two weeks to review all materials once the steps above are completed before a vote takes place

B. Renewal of Adjunct Appointment:

1. The candidate shall submit a CV and personal statement to the department.  The statement should review the candidate’s previous term as an adjunct professor, regarding their accomplishments in mentoring, service, teaching, or other activities.  The statement should discuss time spent at UCSC.  The renewal request statement should also include points a-g in Section A.1. above, regarding what the candidate would like to accomplish as an adjunct during the potential next term.

2. The Chair has the discretion whether or not to reappoint.  If the reappointment is denied, a department faculty member can call for a full faculty vote.

3. All reappointments of current adjuncts (as of November 1, 2023) will be required to give a research talk, open to the entire department.

C. Related Department Policy:

1. At the adjunct professor’s request, the faculty will have a separate vote for whether an adjunct can be the sole advisor of a student, separate from a vote on adjunct status.

2. At the time of the request, the adjunct professor should also provide a written statement on the potential research project(s) and their advising philosophy and experience.